The Healer-Prophet William Marrion Branham: A Study of the Prophetic in American Pentecostalism (Three Indispensible Studies of American Evangelicalism)

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Summary: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
Review: Finally somebody had the courage to write about the greatest prophet of the twentieth century, unknown to many and despised by those who were once his followers. Great book. One I will have on my shelf, for sure.

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Summary: Accurate Historically. Inaccurate Spiritually.
Review: I believe the tone of the book was negative towards Mr. Branham. While the facts were mostlyaccurate, the author seemed to expound heavely onthe negative of Mr. Branham's ministry without fully appreciating the positive of his work. The author seemed to give at minimum a paragraph or two attempting to explain negative portions of Mr. Branham's ministry or life while dedicating a single sentence to scientifically unexplainable miracles (One such miracle was the healing of a U.S. Congressman who had been crippled since he was a child). I believe overall the author may have captured some of the historical information on the man, but he never came close to capturing the spirit of the man. If you can read this book understanding that the author did a dismal job at capturing Mr. Branham's life while not fully stating the historical facts accurately, you will find there is some good historical information that can be obtained by reading this book on the life and ministry of William Branham.

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Summary: A very good scholastic work, but with a negative slant.
Review: Reading this book was bitter-sweet. Sweet in that there are not that many books on Branham and this book gives an excellent historical account of his ministry. The book is bitter in that, although the end of Branham's ministry was tragic in that he fell into doctrinal error, even the beginning of this prophet's ministry in "The Healer Prophet.."is portrayed with a skeptical, almost negative twist to it. This is Weaver's Ph.D. dissertation from a traditional, non-charasmatic seminary - which "may" account for the sometimes negative tone when the writer describes Branham's use of spiritual gifts. Never-the-less, Weaver's historical account is very good and informative. Even though the book has a few quirks, I still highly recommend this book if you want information on one of God's major prophets that was used powerfully during the Divine Healing movement.

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Summary: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
Review: The Bible warns us to beware of people bringing false doctrine. WMB was the Great Deceiver of he 20th Century. Fascinating subject matter.

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Summary: Comments - End Time Message Believer
Review: We must seriously consider these two thoughts [in regards to this book]. First, this age will have ONE Prophet-Messenger. Revelation 10:7, says, "When he (singular) shall begin to sound." There has never been an age where God gave His people two major prophets at one time. He gave Enoch (alone); He gave Noah (alone); He gave Moses (he alone had the Word though others prophesied); John the Baptist came ALONE. Now in this last day there is to be a PROPHET (not a prophetess--though in this age there are more women purporting to give God's revelation than men), and the infallible Word says that he (the prophet) will reveal the mysteries to the end time people, and turn the hearts of the children back to the fathers. There are those who say that God's people are going to come together through a collective revelation. I challenge that statement. It is a bald, invalid assumption in the face of Revelation 10:7. Now I do not deny that people will prophesy in this last age and their ministries can and will be correct. I do not deny that there will be prophets even as in the days of Paul when there was "one Agabus a prophet who prophesied of a famine". I agree that is so. BUT I DENY UPON THE INFALLIBLE EVIDENCE OF THE WORD THAT THERE IS MORE THAN ONE MAJOR PROPHET-MESSENGER WHO WILL REVEAL THE MYSTERIES AS CONTAINED IN THE WORD, AND WHO HAS THE MINISTRY TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE CHILDREN TO THE FATHERS. "Thus saith the Lord" by His unfailing Word stands, and shall stand and be vindicated. There is one prophet-messenger to this age. On the basis of human behavior alone, anyone knows that where there are many people there is even divided opinion on lesser points of a major doctrine which they all hold together. Who then will have the power of infallibility which is to be restored in this last age, for this last age is going to go back to manifesting the Pure Word Bride? That means we will have the Word once again as it was perfectly given, and perfectly understood in the days of Paul. I will tell you who will have it. It will be a prophet as thoroughly vindicated, or even more thoroughly vindicated than was any prophet in all the ages from Enoch to this day, because this man will of necessity have the capstone prophetic ministry, and God will shew him forth. He won't need to speak for himself, God will speak for him by the voice of the sign. Amen. [Church Age Book]

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Summary: Author is a critic of Bro. Branham
Review: While this book has alot of good history on Bro. Branham and info. on those around him then and those that believe his message today it paints a very negative picture of him that is not true.
It is very apparent that the author does not have a revelation of who Bro. Branham is and what his current ministry means.
Also his facts can not be taken at face value because he puts a spin on what he says and makes someone's quotes say something it didn't say.
For example on page 123 in the third paragraph he writes...According to Pearry Green, "a minister well known all over the world" described the serpent's seed concept a "filthy doctrine" that "ruined his [Branham's] ministry" and says he got this info. from page 27-28 of Pearry Green's book The acts of the prophet.
When you go to the book Acts of the prophet you find the following..."The next week after this experience Brother Branham was preaching in a meeting in Dallas. While I [Pearry Green] was there, a minister well known all over the world invited Brother Roy Borders and me to come to his office and discuss with him the possibility of Brother Branham's going to Africa, accompanied by this minister, to conduct some deliverance schools. The man said these words to us, "You know, Brother Branham is the most easily influenced man I have ever seen in my life. Ever since I have quit traveling with him, he has gone off wrong in his doctrine. For example," he continued, "you take this doctrine of the serpent's seed! No doubt Brother Branham's strange life and ministry attracts all these, you know, funny people-probably some old man dressed in sackcloth, a hermit like, that came out of the woods with a long beard, probably someone like that, came and told Brother Branham that filthy doctrine of the `serpent's seed.' Brother Branham, you know, swallowed it, and preached it from his pulpit. Now that tape has gotten out and has ruined his ministry."
Well, I had just heard the message Serpent's Seed and I thought it to be a marvelous revelation, so I said, "Brother, have you heard Brother Branham's tape Serpent's Seed?"
"No!" he said. "I don't have time to listen to such garbage!"
I was horrified. "You shouldn't say that, brother, until you have heard what the man said! Don't do that!"
Now the author writes in such a way that you think Pearry Green is the "minister well know all over the world" and said the doctine was filthy.
Then when you look closer you think maybe Pearry Green is quoting a different minister but agrees with the ministers idea that the doctine was filthy and ruined his minstry.
When you read what Pearry Green actually said you find the author put a spin on what was said or just made it look like something it isn't.

Pearry Green, who didn't think the doctine was filthy and ruined his minstry, has done more for this message than anyone ever has and continues to do so.(...)
I highly recommend his book "Acts of the prophet" and the series by Owen Jorgensen "Supernatural: The life of William Branham".
In closing I agree with another reviewer who said the author has educated himself to where he can't see what God did in this persons life.
Not to joke but the saying "What cemetery I mean what seminary did you go to" is very true. Look through the Bible and see how many people God used that didn't have a religous education and how many he used that did.
May the Lord bless all who are searching for truth and may they see what has been done in our generation.